Rather than focusing solely on the viral trigger or individual symptoms, TCM considers the entire pattern of disharmony affecting your body’s vital energy, or Qi.
ME/CFS and Long Covid represent some of the most challenging conditions in modern healthcare.
These complex syndromes share many overlapping symptoms: profound fatigue, cognitive difficulties, sleep disturbances, and post-exertional malaise, among many others that can significantly impact quality of life.
With personal experience of both Long Covid and ME/CFS, we are dedicated to providing the best possible care for those living with these conditions. We understand that treatment options within conventional medicine remain limited, and aim to provide a fully integrative service, including access to blood tests and other diagnostics you may seek.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a unique framework for understanding these conditions that differs fundamentally from Western approaches. Rather than focusing solely on the viral trigger or individual symptoms, TCM considers the entire pattern of disharmony affecting your body’s vital energy, or Qi.
In TCM, ME/CFS and Long Covid typically involve several key patterns:
This manifests as the profound fatigue that characterises these conditions. When your body’s vital energy becomes depleted, you experience exhaustion that rest alone cannot resolve. Think of Qi as the fuel that powers all your bodily functions: when it runs low, everything from thinking to moving becomes extraordinarily difficult.
These organ systems in TCM govern energy production and distribution. The spleen transforms nutrients into Qi, while the lungs help distribute this energy throughout the body. When viral illness damages these systems, it creates the perfect storm for ongoing fatigue.
Many Long Covid and ME/CFS patients experience what TCM practitioners recognise as “dampness”, a form of pathological fluid that creates sensations of heaviness, foggy thinking, and aching joints. This dampness obstructs the free flow of Qi, further exacerbating fatigue.
We develop personalised treatment plans that address your specific pattern of disharmony. We treat you as an individual with a unique constellation of symptoms and underlying imbalances, and use the following approaches:
Recovery from ME/CFS and Long Covid is rarely linear, and we understand the frustration many patients feel after seeking help from a wide array of practitioners. Our approach acknowledges this challenge while offering genuine hope.
TCM recognises that healing occurs layer by layer. First, we focus on stabilising symptoms and preventing further decline. Then, we gradually build your body’s reserves of Qi, helping you expand your capacity for activity while carefully avoiding the “crash and burn” cycle familiar to many patients.*
*While we intend to gradually build your body’s reserves of Qi, this is not in any way similar to GET (Graded Exercise Therapy), which has been shown to cause harm in ME/CFS and Long Covid.
Many people come to TCM when conventional medicine has told them “there’s nothing more we can do” or that all they can do is rest and wait. TCM offers an additional pathway to explore, alongside your existing care, even in these challenging conditions.
The beauty of TCM lies in its ability to detect and treat imbalances before they manifest as measurable disease in allopathic/western terms. This makes it particularly valuable for conditions like ME/CFS and Long Covid, where conventional tests often come back “normal” despite significant suffering.
We invite you to schedule a comprehensive initial consultation at our practice. During our appointment, we’ll take time to truly listen to your experience, perform a thorough examination using TCM diagnostic techniques, and develop a treatment strategy tailored specifically to your needs.
While we cannot promise miracle cures, we can offer a unique approach that aims to help you reclaim your energy, mental clarity, and quality of life.
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